Method and apparatus for forming letters and symbols in the air



J. T. REMEY June 1 1, 1929.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LETTERS AND SYMBOLS IN.THE AIR OriginalFiled Dec. 7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet June 11, 1929.

J. T. REMEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LETTERS AND SYMBOLS IN THEAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 7, 1925 June 11, 1929. J REMEY1,716,794

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LETTERS AND SYMBOLS IN THE AIR QriginalFiled Dec. '7; 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 11, 1929. 'r REMEY 1,716,794

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LETTERS AND SYMBOLS IN THE AIR OriginalFiled Dec. 7, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuenloz W J. T. REMEY 1,716,794

Original Filed Dec. 7, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' flz'r'eaiz'oa ume 11,1929.

METHOD AND APISARATUS FOR FORMING -LETTERS AND SYMBOLS m Tm AIR gwuenloz i Qu et we:

Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. BEMEY, OF NEWYQRK, N. Y.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING LETTERS AND SYMBOLS IN THE AIB..

Application filed December 7, 1928, Serial'lio. 879,239. Renewed Mayl2,1929.

Thisinvention is a method and apparatus for forming letters or symbolsin the air by means of smoke or vapor trails, which may be called skytyping.

The letter or symbol is built up from a plurality of smoke'trails, whichare substantially parallel and generally contiguous. These smoke trailsare formed from a plu- 4 rality of'smoke-emitting units which haverelative movement with respect to the air. These smoke-emitting unitsmay be actually moved through the air horizontally or lect ively andindividually, in any desiredvertically, or may be fixed in a vertical orhorizontal position in a moving body of air.

The invention, as above expressed, may be carried out in a number ofdifferent ways. The preferred way of carrying it out is to suspend acontrol column, having a large number of smoke-emitting valves at spacedintervals therealong, from a moving aircraft, and to open selectivelythe different valves so that they will form smoke trails of a controlledlength at controlled intervals.

In this preferred .embodiment of the invention, the control column isflexible so that it may be reeled up in the aircraft, and

is hollow for carrying smoke or a smoke producing compound to the valvesthat it carries. i

The column also carries elements, such as Wires, leading to the valvesfor controlling .them. It is provided with a weight at its lower end forholding it substantially vertical. The valves areopened and closedsemanner; the preferred control is electromagnetic, each valve havingits own electromagnet. -These magnets are in turn controlled by a powerdriven perforated strip, as will be described in detail belo Each valvehas its own. control, so that it 'may be opened atany point, kept openpoint. e proclosing as long as desired, and closed at any -Anintermittent smoke trail may duced by successively opening and thevalve. The length and placement of i" each smoke trail maybe readilycontrolled in this manner. p

' The term smoke as herein used, is not to be limited to products ofcombustion, but is of broader meaning,.and is intended to cover anydesired'form of smoke or vapor, a fluid or. flu'ds or com ounds forforming smoke orjvapor that is visible in the day time 01: nighttime.The invention is in the .method and in the apparatus, and not in Thepre-' any particular kind of smoke. ferred smoke is made from titaniumtetrachloride; this is a liquid which has a strong affinity formoisture. It fumes in ordinary air, and. when sprayed into the air formsa dense cloud of white vapor or smoke by reacting with the moisture inthe air; vapor persists with a fairly high degree of permanency. At niht, luminous vapor or sparks might'be used.

The control column. may be suspended from a moving aircraft; it mayextend upwardly, by means of a small balloon, or downwardly, by means ofa weight. It may be positioned. vertically, as on a tall buildlng, beingoperated when there is a breeze to carry away the smoke trails. It maybe positioned horizontally, being operated when there is a breeze tocarry away-the trails and to form letters or symbols in a horizontalplane, readily visible from the air.

In another aspect of the invention, thecontiguous smoke trails may beformed by dropping in rapid successionsmall smokeproducing fbombs. froma moving aircraft, each bomb being designed to trace a smoke trail ofany desired length at any point in its fall. These bombs are preferablysusburns, releases the bombs and lights them. Each of these fbombscarries one or more smoke-produ'cin segments with a fuse extendingthroug each segment. The position. of each segment on this fusedetermines at what point it starts to produce smoke; the length of eachsegment deterthis s5 pended in series along-a fuse, which, as it minesthe time it will produce smoke, that is to say, determines the length ofthe smoke trail this bomb will produce during its fall.

The broader features of the invention havcally, a side view ofapreferreform of apparatus for sky typin --Fig. 2- is a side new 0 8. art of thecon-" trol column, on a larger sea e;

Fig. '3 is a side view, partly in section, of

winding and control mechanism at the up per end of the'control column,

Fig. 9 is a View of a reel in which the control column is wound;

.Fig. 10 is a detail of the control mechamsm;

Fig. F

Fig. 12 is a. diagrammatic view showing the circuit for controlling thevalves;

Fig. 13 is a view of the perforated control strip, perforated so thatthe letter A will be printed by the smoke trails;

Figs. let and 1,5 illustrate different placements for the controlcolumn;

Fig.'16 illustrates amodified method of carrying out the invention; I

Fig. 17 is a smoke bomb holder for use in this modified method;

Fig. 18 is an end view of Fig. 17

Fig. 19 is a detail of a smoke bomb. Referring now to thesedrawings, inwhich similar reference characters indicate similar parts, the controlcolumn, indicated at 5, is provided with a plurality of smoke-emittingvalves 6 spaced at short interva-ls".along it. The control column. maybe moved through the air, or may be more or less stationary, and placedin a moving body of air. In either case, there is relative "movementbetween the control column and the air, and preferably the columnextends transversely to the direction of such relative movement.

11 shows part of' a mult-i-wire cou- In Fig. 1, the control column issuspended.

from a moving aircraft 7, a weight 8, stream 11ned,be1ng carried at-thelower end thcreb -so as to hang nearly vertical. The aircraft 7, iflighter than theair, could be anchored, or held stationary by itsengine, and the smoke trails formed when there is a breeze.

The smoke-emitting valves 6 are preferably well below the aircraft so asto be out of the propeller wash. The number and spacing of such valvesis optional, dependent upon the desired size and definition of theletter to be formed or typed.

Each of the smoke-en'iitting valves 6'is supplied with smoke or a smokeproducing compound. and each 1s individually operated, so that thelength and placement of each, smoke trail may be controlled. v In Fig.1, the upper and lower valves 6 have traced continuous smoke trails 6',and the intermediate valves have traced intermittent smoke trails 6",the placement and length of the trails being such asto form the letter077p The control column 5 comprises a stranded cable 10 of bronze orsteel wires, as its main supporting element. The control column 'end ofthe tube 13 next above it; the hose being firmly secured to the tubes 13by clamps 15. A continuous channel is thus formed for the passage ofsmoke or smoke producing fluid along the control column.

The control column also carries a plurality of electric wires 16,suitably insulated, one wire for each of the valves 6. A wrapping tape17 binds the cable 10, hose 14 and wires 16 together, giving a smoothexternal contour, thus lessening the wind resistance.

The smoke-emitting valves may be constructed in a number of differentways. In the preferred construction. the valve housing 12 is boredcentrally for receiving the valve stem 20, which is movable up and downand is provided with a transverse smoke passage 21. The smoke passage 21extends through the housing and into the tube 13 on one side, andthrough the housing and through a nozzle element 22, set into thehousing, on the other side.

The lower end of the valve stem 20 is pro- .vided with a key 23 parallelwith the smoke passage 21. which key moves up and down with the stem, ina slot 24 cut into a plug 25 held in the housing 12 by a set screw 26,the slotbeing parallel to the smoke passage 21. \Vhen the upper surfaceof the key 23 is against the housing 12, as shown in Fig. 3, the smokepassage of the stem registers with the other smoke passages, and smokeis omitted. The valve stem is pressed down by a spring 27 bearingagainst a cap 28 carried by the top of the housing so that the valve isnormally held closed by the spring.

The valves are preferably magnetically operated. The stem 20 is of ironor steel, and acts as the core for the solenoid 30. Of the two wires forleading current through the solenoid. one, indicated at 31, is connectedto one of the wires 16, while the other is grounded through cable 10.The wires 31 and 32 leave the solenoid through a hollow plug 33 screwedinto cap 28. A separate wire 16 is provided for each solenoid, so 'thatit may be individually controlled. It will be apparent that as long asthe solenoid is energized, the valve will be open, and will emit smoke.The spring 27 closes the valve as soon as the circuit is broken. Thelength of each smoke trail is then accurately controlled.

The hollow and flexible control column is stored in'the aircraft whennot in use. For

several wires 16 to 20 which is adapted to couple to a cooperatingexample, it may be wound on a reel 40, suitably mounted on standards 41in the body of the aircraft. Pawl and ratchet mechanism .42 and 43 isprovided for latching the reel in 5 any desired position. Manual orother power means such as handle 44, may be provided for raising andlowering the control column. The reel 40 is provided in its surface witha spiral groove 45, in which the Control column i0 fits as it. is woundthereon, the valves, when the column is so wound,-facing outwardly.

Means are provided for'coupling the longi The opening and closing of therespective circuits, and therefore of the respective smoke emittingvalves, is controlled by a movable strip, suitably perforated, made ofnon-conducting material. The perforated strip indicated at 75, Fig. 8,is wound on a tudinal smoke passage of the control column to a smokesupply, and for coupling the their respective controlling devices.

To this end, the control column 5, at its upper end, is provided with ahollow branch 50 terminating in-a coupling element 51,

element 52, to which is attached a tube 53, connected through a two-wayvalve 54 to a pipe 55 the ends of which lead into the top and bottom ofa pressure tank 56 for holding 2 .the titanium tetrachloride or othersmoke or smoke-producing fluid or compound. A body of dry air underpressure is maintained in the tank 56 such air having passed through anair dryer 57 of any desired type,

and a pump 58, which may be manually or power operated. The connectingpipes 59 maybe provided with check valves 60.

The coupling elements 66 and 67 are unsymmetrical about one axis, asshown in Fig.

11, so that it is possible tocouple ,up'the wires in only the correctway.

Control mechanism for selectively opening and closing the smoke valve 6at any desired point, will now be. described. While this control maytake other forms, a preferred type will be described.

The control column at its upper end, is

also provided with a second branch 65 which .is connected to amulti-wire connector of any suitable type, one plate "66 of which isindicatedv in Fig; 11. The connector 66 is provided with a; plurality ofsockets 67, and to each socket is connected one of the wires 16 of thecontrol column; The other plate 68 of the multi-wi-re connector isprovided with a corresponding plurality of plugs, not shown, forplugging into respective sockets 67. To each plug is connected a wire16', see Fig. 12. which in turn is connected to a brush 70, one for eachwire 16 and 16. The brushes are mounted in an insulated arm 71. The

brushes 7 O are adapted to bear against a conducting bar 72 which isconnected to one terminal of a battery 73, the other terminal beingconnected to the supporting cable 10.

74 is a switch.

.It is evident from Fig.12 that an impulse sent through one of thebrushes to one of the valves will open thatvalv'e and hold it open '65as long as the circuit is maintained.-

reel 76, led over bar 72 and under the brushes 7 0 and attached to apower driven winding reel 77, driven by amotor 78. o p

The control strip 75 is provided with perforations 79 cogresponding withthe letter a or symbol it is desired to form in smoke. Y

It will be understood that the apparatus shown in Fig. 8 is mounted inthe fuselcge or nacelle of the aircraft. The operation of the apparatusthus far described isas follows The control column 5 is lowered from theaircraft by unwinding,

it from reel 40. The smoke and-electric couplings are coupled together,as in Fig. 8. All moist air is blown out of the control column andvalves by connecting the top of tank 56, through valve 54, to blow dryair through the system. Then valve 54 is turned to fill the system withsmoke, valves .6 being opened in any suitable way, as by closingcircuits through each valve, as In Fig. 12, before the insulating strip75, is in position. The apparatus is now ready to form the smoke trailsof definite length,-

definitely placed. The strip 75 is started,

and as the perforations 79 comeunder fingers' 70, corresponding circuitsare closed,

certain valves are. opened, and smoke is emitted, as long as suchcircuit is closed.

As a perforation ceases, the circuit is broken and the correspondingsmoke trail ceases.

The smoke trails in Fig. 1 are more or less these control columns isprovided with valves 6, operated as described above, and controllingmechanism as described for'opening and closin them selectively andindividually.

In ig. 14, the control column is rigid, and extends verticallyfrom atall building, and forms letters in a vertical plane.

In Fig. 15, the control column extends horizontally between standards Sand forms letters in a horizontal plane. These letters are evidentlyreadily visible from an aircraft "in flight. The standards may bemovable according to the directionof the wind.

Another way of forming. the contiguous, substantially parallelsmoketralls, is 111118 trated in Figs. 16-19 inclusive; here the smoketrails are formed by smoke bombs dropped in rapid succession from amoving aircraft, each bomb being designed to form one or more smoketrails of any desired length at any point in its fall.

,The smoke bombs 80, about forty or fifty for each letter, have a fuse81 extending thcrethrough, the upper ends of the fuses being connectedto a master fuse 82, held in a slotted tube 83 suitably mounted in anaircraft. Associated with tube 83 is an open ended casing 84.

Each fuse is provided with one or more smoke-producing segments 85 madeof any desired smoke producing materials, the length of each segmentbeing regulated according to the length of each smoke trail this bomb isexpected to trace, and the placement of each segment. being regulatedaccording to the desired 'ilaremeut of the smoke trails. The bomb ofFig. 19 will first trace two short, separated trails, and then a longertrail. Graded weights 86 may be carried by thebombs, so as to bring themto approximately the same weight. The segments 85 will be designed withdue regard to the acceleration of the fall of the bomb.

The operation is as follows :The master fuse is lighted; as it burns atuniform rate, it will release the bombs at a uniform rate, lighting eachone as it is released. Fuse 81 in the bumb burns uniformly and tracesone or more smoke trails as determined by the segments 85. In Fig. 16,the smoke trails form the letter R.

Instead of dropping the smoke bombs from a moving aircraft, they couldbe dropped from a holder, a casing that is oved by gravity or poweralong a suspended wire or cable.

\Vhile I have described my method and apparatus in some detail, itshould be under trolling the length of each smoke trail.

4. The method of-forming letters or symbols with smoke, comprising theformation of aplurality of substantially parallel smoke trails, andcontrolling the length of the smoke trail Y 5. The

comprising forming a plu- T rality of contiguous smoke trails, andconmzthod of forming letters or sym-' bols with smoke, comprising theformation of a )lurality of contiguous and substantially para lel smoketrails, and controlling the length of the smoke trails.

6. The method of forming letters or symbols with smoke, comprising theformation of a plurality of substantially parallel smoke trails, andcontrolling the length of the smoke trails, each of the smoke trailsbeing in the same plane as the plane of the letter or symbol.

7. The method of forming letters or symbols with smoke, comprising theformation of a plurality of contiguous and substantially parallel smoketrails, and controlling the lengths of the smoke trails, each of smoketrails being in the same plane as the plane of the letter or symbol.

8. The method of forming letters or symbolts with smoke, comprisingreleasing trails of smoke from a control column at a plurality of pointsalong the column into air that is moving with respect to the controlcolumn.

9. The. method of forming letters or symbols with smoke, comprisingplacing a. control column in all body of air that has relative movementwith respect to the control column, the column extending transverselywith respect to the relative motion of the air, releasing trails ofsmoke fron'i a. plurality of points along the column, and controllingthe length of each trail.

10. The method of forming letters or symbols in the sky, comprisinglowering a control column from an aircraft, and releasing trails ofsmoke from a plurality of points along the control column.

11. The method of forming letters or symbols in the sky, comprisinglowering a control column from an aircraft, releasing trails of smokefrom a plurality of points along the control column, andcontrolling thelength of each of the trails of smoke.

12. The method of forming letters or symbols in the sky, comprisingsuspending a control column from a moving aircraft, releasing trails ofsmoke from the control column at a plurality of points thercalong, andcontrolling the'length of each of the smoke trails.

13. The method of forming letters or symbols with smoke. with anaircraft, comprising the formation of a plurality of smoke trails whichare substantially parallel to each other and substantially parallel tothe direction of flight of the aircraft.

14. The method of forming letters or symbols with smoke with anaircraft, comprising the formation of a plurality of smoke trails whichare substantially parallel to each other and substantially parallel tothe direction of flight of the aircraft, and controlling the length andrelative placement of the smoke trails.

smoke trails which are substantially parallel to each other andsubstantially parallel to the direction of flight of the aircraft andare in the same plane as the plane of the letter or symbol. 1 '16. Themethod of forming letters .or symbols with smoke with ana1rcraft,'comprising .releasing trails of smoke from a control column,at a plurality .of points therealong, the column extending fromtheaircraft in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction offlight of the aircraft, and controlling the lengthand placement of thesmoke trails. o

17. The method of forming letters or symbols with smoke with anaircraft, comprising releasing trails of smoke from a plurality ofpoints along a control column which extends from the aircraft ina-direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of flightthereof, and controlling the length and placement of the smoke trails,the trails of'smoke extending in a direction substantially parallel tothe directionof flight of the aircraft, and being positioned in the sameplane as the plane of the letter or symbol.

18. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke, comprising acontrol column, a plurality of smoke-emitting valves carried along thecolumn, and means forr individually controlling the valves.

19. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke, comprising acontrol column for carrying smoke or a smoke-producing compound, aplurality of smoke-emitting valves carried along the column, and meansforindividually controllingthe valves,

120. An aparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke, comprising acontrol column for carrying smoke or a smoke-producing compound, aplurality of smoke-emitting valves arranged along the! column, andelectrically operated means for individually con-v trolling the valves,

21. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke, comprising aflexible and hollow control column-for carrying smoke or a smokeproducing-compound, a plurality of smoke emitting valves arranged alongthe control column, and means for individually controlling the valves.

22. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke in. the skycomprising anaircraft, acon'trol column carried thereby, a plurality ofsmoke-emitting valves arranged along the control column, and means formdividually controlling the valves. v

23. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smokein the skycomprising an aircraft, a co'ntrol column carrled thereby,

fa plurality of smoke-emitting valves arsymbols in smoke in the skyaircraft, a flexible, hollow control column ranged along the controlcolumn, and means controlled from within the aircraft, for individuallyoperating the valves.

24. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols insmoke in the skycomprising an aircraft, a tank of smoke or smoke producing compoundcarried thereby, a hollow control column adapted to extend away from theaircraft and connected to the tank, a plurality of smoke emitting valvesarranged along- 7 the co rol column, and means for individuallycontrolling the valves.

25. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke, comprising acontrol column, a plurality of smoke-emitting valves carried along thecolumn, and means includ- 'ing a perforated strip for individually con--trolling the valves.

26. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in smoke, comprising acontrol 001- 5 umn for carrying smoke or a smoke-producing compound, aplurality of smoke-emitting valves arranged along the column, andelectrically operated meansincludingf perforated strip for. individuallycont olling. the '90 valves. I

27. An apparatus for forming letters or v symbols in smoke in the sky;comprising an aircraft, a control column carried thereby, a plurality ofsmoke-emitting valves arranged along the control column, and meansincluding a perforated strip carried in the aircraft, for individuallycontrolling the symbols in smoke in the sky comprising an 1 aircraft, ahollow control column adapted to extend away from the aircraft, a tankfor caryingsmoke or a smoke produ'cin ,cOmpound mounted in the aircraftand connected to the control column, a plurality of smoke- 5 emittingvalves carried along the control colf umn, and means for controlling thevalves, comprising a power-driven perforated-strip carried in theaircraft. 30; An apparatus for forming letters or symbols in "smoke inthe sky comprising an aircraft, a flexible control column adaptedtoextend away from the aircraft, a. plurality ofsmoke-emitting valvescarried. along the control column, means for individually-controllingthe valves, and means for reeling up the control column within thealrcraft.

31'. An apparatus for forming letters or oomprismg an adapted to extendaway from the aircraft,

a tank in the aircraft connected to the, con-' trol column, a pluralityof smoke-emitting valves carried by the control column at spacedintervals therealong, means for individually controlling the valves, andmeans forfcoiling up the control column in the aircra t.- Y v '32. Anapparatus'for forming letters or symbols in smoke in the sky comprisingan aircraft, a flexible, hollow control column adapted toextend awayfrom the aircraft,

a tank in the aircraft connected to the control column, a plurality ofsmoke-emitting valves carried by the control column at spaced intervalstherealong, means including a power-driven perforated strip mounted inthe aircraft, for individually controlling the valves, and means forcoiling up the control column in the aircraft.

33. An apparatus for forming leters or symbols in smoke in the skycomprising an aircraft, a flexible control column dependingsmoke-producing compound, electrically-o erated valves at spacedintervals along t e control column, a reel for winding up the controlcolumn, electric wires carried by the control column, and connected tothe several valves, and detachable couplings through which smoke or asmoke-producing compound, and electric impulses, are supplied to thecontrol column.

and operatively connected to the conduit,

and means for lessening the wind resistance of the column.

37. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols with smoke, comprising acontrol column, a plurality of smoke-emitting valves carried thereby,means for controlling the valves, and a stream-lined weight carried bythe lower end of the column for holding it down. I

38. An apparatus for forming letters or symbols with smoke, comprising acontrol column, a plurality of smoke-emitting valves carried thereby,means for controlling the valves, means for lessening the windresistance of the column, and a stream-lined weight carried by the lowerend of the column for holding it down.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN T. REMEY.

